Surface condenser



April 2s, 1925.

J. F. GRACE SURFACE coNDENs ER Filed March 24 1923 4ATTORNE IVENTOR A, A L

Patented "Apn 28, 1925. l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. GRACE, OF KEARNY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 WOB/ THINGTON PUMP &

MACHINERY CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF VIRGINIA.

SURFACE co-NDENSER.

Application led March 24, 1923. 'Serial' No. 627,265.

To all whom t may concer/n.

Be it known that I, JOHN F. GRACE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kearny, county of Hudson, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Surface Condensers, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to improvements in surface condensers and has for its object. the provision of a condenser especially adapted for efcient operation in times of warm water or overload, or both, and with a greatly increased quantity of circulating Water at such times with substantially the same tube velocity' for the increased quantity of circulating water.

The invention is illustrated in its preferred form in the accompanying drawing,

forming apart of this specification, and

this construction will. now b e described in detail and the features forming the invention then specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing- Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a surface condenser embodying my invention, and

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof partly in section.

Referring to the drawing, the surface condenser comprises a shell 10 enclosing a steam space 11 traversed from end to end by cooling tubes 12, the ends of which are secured in the usual manner in tube plates 13 enclosed by water boxes or heads 14 and 15.

The water box or head 14 is divided by-x a diaphragm 1 into a water inlet chamber 16 and a chamber 17 whichl is normally the water discharge chamber of the condenser, and these chambers are connected by ports in the diaphragm 1, controlled by suitable" butterfly valves 2, actuated by hand wheels 3 on the outside of the condenser shell 10. Cold circulation water is supplied to inlet chamber 16 by either one or both of two l pumps 18, 19, shown in the present instance p either one or both of two discharge connections 22. which are controlled by hand ,valves 5.

The water box ,or head 15 forms normally a return flow head of the well known twopass type condenser but in the present instance is provided with a discharge connection 23 controlled by a hand valve 6 or any other suitable means. A perforated diaphragm or dam 7 may -be provided within the water box or head 15 to equalize the passage of water from the upper andlower tubes to the connection 23.

The operation is as follows- 65 Normally, that is, at times of light load, or cold water as in winter, or both, the butterfly valves 2 are closed and the condenser .operates as a two-pass condenser with cir- In time of overload, or warm water as U-v in summer, the butterfly valves 2 and the valve 6 controlling connection 23 are opened and the valves 5 controlling discharge connections 22 are closed. The valves 4 both being.r opened, both pumps 18 and- 19 are 85 y now utilized to deliver circulation water to the condenser, and 'the water circulating l freely between chambers `16 and 17, passes in a single-pass ow through the tubes 12 v to head 15 and connection 23 for discharge 90 therethrough. v

It will be understood that the-invention is not to be limited to the specific structure shown ormanner of operation described as modification may be made therein within the g5 invention defined by the claims.

What I claim is: u 1. `A surface condenser comprising a steam space traversed by cooling tubes, a. combined inlet and discharge head at` one end of the tubes, a return flow head at' the other end of the tubes, a valved discharge connection on the discharge portion of the combined inlet and discharge head, a valved discharge connection on the return -flow head, and a Valved diaphragm dividing the combined inlet anddischarge head.

2. A surface condenser comprising a steam space traversed by cooling tubes, a

water box at one end of the tubes, a parti- I tion dividing the Water box into an inlet chamber and a discharge chamber, a plurality of valved supply connections on the inlet chamber, one or more valved discharge connections on the discharge chamber, a return flow Water box at the other end of the tubesj a Valved discharge connection on the return How Water box, and one or more Valves in the partition for connecting the inlet and 'discharge chambers for single-pass operation.

3. A surface condenser comprisingasteam space traversed by cooling tubes, a Water box at one end of the tubes, a partition dividing the Water box into an inlet chamber and a discharge chamber, a plurality of valved supply connections on the inlet chamber, a pump for each supply connection, one or more -valved discharge connections on the discharge chamber, a return flow Water box at the other end of the tubes, a valved discharge connection on the return flow Water box, and one or more valves in the partition for connecting the inlet and discharge chambers for single-pass operation.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN F. GRAoic. 

